All Incredible Odds
by CNJ
Summary: Harry & co are adults & dealing with incredible odds and turns in their lives. Controversial issues and strong language.
1. Prologue

The usual disclaimers that none of the characters or happenings that HP fans recognize from the books or movies are mine; they belong to the wonderful JK Rowlings. 

Hii, in addition to the one about Zar Malfoy, I'm also working on one where Harry and co are in their late twenties/early thirties. As the title implies, all of them deal with tragedy and all incredible odds, even deeper than they ever faced at Hogwarts; it'll take all their Gryffindor courage to overcome it; in addition, a piece of Harry's past shows up unexpectedly which will change the course of Harry's life forever…enjoy! 

**All Incredible Odds**

_By_: CNJ 

_PG-13_

**1: Prologue:**

**Harry:**

"Harry, have you seen my wand?" my close friend Hermione Granger poked her head into my room. 

"Did you check behind the door?" I asked. "I saw a wand there this morning." 

"Thanks…" she darted out, her changing color lavender and red wedding robe trailing behind her. I tried to smooth out my own wedding robe, a glittering one that changes between blue and silver. Yes, both of us are getting married as of today, the second Saturday in November. But not to each other. It's a double wedding; I am marrying a wonderful woman by the name of Janice Potts, whom I've been in love with for almost four years. Janice and I have also shared an apartment outside of Hogsmeade for the past year. We actually met in college, but didn't really get to know each other until a few years after we'd graduated from Andrews and Wallace Arts College where we both went. From our union, we also have a daughter, Beatrice Lily, who will be three in March. 

I'm an auror, class B, which is the equivalent to a barrister in the muggle world while Janice is a spell developer for defenses against the dirty arts. Only until recently, _dirty arts _used to be called _dark arts_ here in the wizard/witch world that we all live in. 

Hermione is marrying my dear friend and college roommate, Trevor Robinson. When I first met Trevor, we were both stunned at how much alike we look…same dark, rather messy straight hair, large almond-shaped eyes, very fair complexions, thin, curvy lips, thick heavy brows, and snub noses. But there are some differences…Trevor's eyes are blue while mine are hazel-green; Trevor is about three inches taller than me; Trevor's hair is dark brown while mine is jet black; I'm a wizard while Trevor is a muggle. Also, I wear thick glasses and am very nearsighted while Trevor only wears glasses for reading. I've worn glasses since I was five while Trevor only started needing glasses in his early twenties. Trevor is bubbly, dramatic and outgoing while I am quiet and reserved. 

It was a year after we graduated from college that Trevor and I found out that we are actually cousins, which explains the uncanny resemblance between us. Trevor used to be an actor in his teens, but is now a script writer. Hermione is a reporter for the _Daily Prophet_. 

It's so hard to believe I'm actually getting married. Married. Janice and I love each other like mad and love our daughter, but I'm still imagining us being a married couple. Janice says it's mostly the ceremony and a legal document, but both of us know it's something more…I guess it's the fact that we'll be publicly declaring our monogamy to each other in front of our friends and families. I thought of my friends as I finished getting dressed. 

One of my friends from Hogwarts, Ron Weasley has been married for almost five years, since our mid-twenties. He and his wife Jill have two sons and plan to have more kids soon. Ron's a professional chess player while Jill is a charm breaker for the Ministry of Magic. 

Ron also has a younger sister Ginny, also a good friend of mine along with Hermione. Ginny's still single, but has been going with Neville Longbottom since she was sixteen and Neville was seventeen. Neville is our age. Ginny now designs various brands of flying brooms and broom supplies that sell worldwide. Many of her broom product lines have been bought by professional Quidditch players; she has made a lot of money from her business. 

Picking up some lipstick and smoothing it over my lips, I tried to relax my thick brows, which were taut with nervousness. I'm rather reserved and shy, so being the center of attention makes me nervous. Thinking back, I did often used to be the center of unwanted attention back in my teens as a Hogwarts student. My dear parents were killed by an evil wizard by the name of Tom Riddle way back when I was a year and three months. How I wished I could remember my parents, James and Lily Potter, but I can't and as always when I try to remember them, I feel a small twinge of sadness in my stomach. 

Thank Merlin Tom Riddle is gone for good now, defeated by a group of us students in my final year at Hogwarts. In fact, it was Hermione, Ron, Ginny, and I along with the rest of the Gryffindor house who chanted spells to squash the evil out of him on a windy November night, causing him to dissolve into ashes; once he was gone, he could no longer terrorize the magical world as he'd done for many years. 

Thinking of my parents also reminds me of Dad's friend, Sirius Black, who'd been my godfather. I'd met Sirius when I was thirteen and we'd developed a close relationship. Sadly, Sirius died near the end of my fifth year at Hogwarts in a battle with a death eater. If only they could meet their wonderful granddaughter. 

But I count myself fortunate to have other relatives and special people in my life…my great-aunt Miranda, who finished raising me, my aunt Marge, Trevor and his mum, my friends and their parents. My mum's two closest friends from Hogwarts will be here at the wedding also. 

A soft knock sounded on the door. "Come in…" I said softly, smoothing my black hair in place. Janice came in, her blue and silver robe shining and glittering. 

"Wow…" we simultaneously gasped at the sight of each other. She had on lipstick like me. Now I know most conventional thinkers squirm at the thought of males wearing lipstick, but I've since figured that why should it be only females that get to have bright lips at special occasions? It's something I've often wondered at most of my life...why should people be rigidly categorized because of their gender? I remembered reading how long ago, females were excluded from many professions and even Quidditch until the twentieth century. How fortunate I feel that our daughter will grow up with more freedom than we had in the past. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

It was another hour or so of scrambling around to get everything and everyone ready. Trevor dashed around in a mad frenzy looking for his cufflinks, then the metal pin for his robe. By that time, Ron, Jill, Neville, Ginny, and another friend of ours, Luna Lovegood had arrived. 

"Now can he panic?" Ron jokingly told me as he and I stood in the kitchen. 

"Uncle Trevor..." Bea called. "It's here." 

"Oh, thank you, honey," Trevor let out his breath, then came into the kitchen, flushed and slightly flustered, but holding the pin. He made a lovely groom, though. With shaky hands, he struggled to put the pin on his robe. I had to hold his robe still, then help him put the pin on. 

"Thanks," Trevor's blue eyes peered down at me. "Oh, Harry, sometimes I wonder what I'd do without you." 

"Panic," Ron quipped and we all chuckled. Hermione, Ginny, and Janice came in then and we were ready to go. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Copperlong Concert Hall is near the border that separates the magical world from the muggle. Since there was a mix of magicals and muggles at this wedding, the wedding itself was a mixed wedding. 

The November day was crisp, cold, and clear. Perfect for a wedding, I thought, looking around at the last of the multi-colored leaves. The leaves now carpeted the ground in a magnificent explosion of color. 

"Back here..." An usher showed us a small narrow room. We sat and waited for the guests to come in. I was still nervous about being the center of attention. Janice kneaded part of her robe while Hermione and Trevor whispered things back and forth. After what seemed like hours, everyone in the hall was apparently seated and the usher came to summon us. Since Trevor and Hermione were taking on the name of Granison, they'd walk down the aisle first, then Janice and I would follow. 

The door opened and what do I know, but that moment is when my throat elected to go dry. I swallowed, feeling a nervous knot in my stomach. Come on, Harry, it's just your friends and family there, I told myself as Hermione and Trevor headed down the aisle in a graceful glide, almost seeming to float. 

I swallowed again as Janice and I started down after them. I kept my eyes to the front and tried not to be too aware of all the eyes on us. Come on, I told myself as I swallowed a third time. There's no need to be gulping like this, Potter. But I couldn't stop gulping, even when the four of us stood in the front in front of the floating fairy, who was performing the ceremony. I knew others could see me swallowing. Janice gave my hand a gentle squeeze as if the try to relax me. I tried to smile back at her but swallowed hard as I listened to Trevor and Hermione say their vows. 

"By my power, Hermione Granger and Trevor Robinson, you are now officially married," the fairy finished, waving her wand and bathing them in a golden glow. They kissed in the light and grinned at each other, then kissed again. 

"I...can't believe we're married..." Hermione whispered in amazement. 

"That makes two of us," Trevor whispered back, his cheeks turning red. 

Then it was Janice and my turn. We said our vows with me still gulping away like a partially clogged drain. I could feel my face turn pink as the fairy briefly touched my dry throat at one point. It seemed to help and I finished my vows without another intruding gulp. Gulping and blushing groom, I thought ruefully as the fairy united us with the gold light. Janice and I kissed several times, then hugged, feeling deep passion flowing through us. Oh, we were going to have a lovely life together! I looked over at where Bea was sitting with my Aunt Miranda and Aunt Marge, who were beaming. I let out a shaky breath. 

"Oh, I love you, Jan..." I breathed, my breath catching. 

"I love you too, Harry..." Janice told me, her eyes moist as we walked back up the aisle with Trevor and Hermione. What a wedding! I thought. 

"Getting married's made me hungry," Janice told us with a grin. 

"Me too," Trevor added. We all chuckled. The four of us had a car to ourselves, so we headed on over to Blarney's in the fall dusk to join our friends for the party. By then I was free of the gulping attack. Here's to a new chapter in our lives, I thought as my new wife and friends chatted on the way there. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

**_Somewhere outside of Surrey, about the same time as the double wedding_...**

**Ellen**: 

"Remember what Daddy said," I told Eva as I peered at the cast on her shoulder. "What are you going to tell people when they ask what happened to your arm?" 

"That I fell down the stairs," She solomnly repeated what my husband, Dudley, had told her to say in explanation of her broken shoulder. 

"Right." I nodded. It really was an accident. When Dudley and I married at twenty-one, we'd dreamed of a happy family life. But good jobs are hard to come by and Dudley hasn't had much luck in holding a job. Yes, he does have a temper and yells and sometimes hits the girls. But then the girls don't help when they cry or when they cause strange things to happen. 

Who could have figured how Eva got up on top of the frozen food rack when she's only two years old? She says she didn't know. Dudley, however, would hear none of it and we had to get maintenance to get her down. She'd been misbehaving. Dudley had scolded her and she started to fuss, which made Dudley really yell. Then the next thing we knew she was up there. We went home...it really was an accident, maybe Dudley grabbed her shoulder too hard. 

Dudley's told me that he had a rocky childhood. He had to grow up with a cousin who was...very weird and often did things to him like set a cobra constrictor loose on him at the zoo. This cousin, Harry Potter I think his name was, also wore a lot of weird clothing. 

"Thank God he ran away for good at fifteen," Dudley often says with a wave of his large hand. "That boy had serious mental problems and it took my parents long enough to figure it out. Then when my parents died in that car crash back when I was twenty-one, he has the nerve to show his ugly, four-eyed face at their funeral and cry his eyes out like a baby. Thank God that's the last time I've seen that little freak." 

As a result of his parent's deaths, he'd had to move in with his Aunt Marge. That's when I met him. He complained continuously that Marge nagged him about his job search and a lot of other things until he got fed up; they had a huge argument and she ordered him out of her flat. So, that's when we decided to marry. 

We didn't have our two daughters, Eva and Margo until a few years ago; Eva's two and Margo is one. I'd hoped for a real family life, but so far it doesn't seem to be fitting. Dudley is drinking more and more. I'm saddled with more and more housework and tending the girls, who are a handful. Moreover, the girls are so withdrawn and sullen that it's really hard for me to feel much tenderness for them. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

I waited for Dudley, but he didn't return until well after midnight. "About time," I hissed from my bed as Dudley crashed down almost on top of me, reeking of liquor. "You spend more time with those bar drinkers than with me!" I snapped, sick of my excuse of a husband. 

"Shut uuuup..." Dudley snarled. "I had a crappy day and my boss yelled at me for supposedly not being at my work place." I heard a soft noise down the hall and got up. Dudley was too drunk to check it out, so I went. Eva was headed down toward the bathroom. Those kids know they're not supposed to be out of bed after hours! Once she saw me, Eva's eyes widened in fear and she froze a minute, then darted back to their room. 

"That's right, you get back into that bed or you'll get it!" I snapped after her.   
  
  
  


More later! 


	2. Harry and Janice's Heartbreak

The usual disclaimers that none of the characters or happenings that HP fans recognize from the books or movies are mine; they belong to the wonderful JK Rowling. 

Hii, in addition to the one about Zar Malfoy, I'm also working on one where Harry and co are in their late twenties/early thirties. As the title implies, all of them deal with tragedy and all incredible odds, even deeper than they ever faced at Hogwarts; it'll take all their Gryffindor courage to overcome it; in addition, a piece of Harry's past shows up unexpectedly which will change the course of Harry's life forever. This chapter is very, very angsty with lots of tears, so be warned…enjoy! 

**All Incredible Odds**

_By_: CNJ 

_PG-13_

**2: Harry and Janice's Heartbreak**: 

**Harry**: 

  
  


"…so, Charles will be done with his second year in two months," Ron told me via the fireplace almost four years later. "Andrew's just a few years away…" he laughed.   
  
"So's Bea," I told him as I ran a cloth over my bariol, a magical instrument, then carefully put it back in its case. "She has a knack for Quidditch, you know." 

"So does my daughter," Ron nodded. The Weasleys now have a daughter, Anne, who's seven. Bea just turned nine a few days ago. 

We chatted a while longer about our careers and that Ron's chess team had come in third last week. I've been working on new melodies and occasionally some of the magical melodies can be used to help the Law Enforcement of the Ministry crack mysteries and unsolved crimes. 

Also, Hermione's younger sister, Aileen is up for possible election to the Minister of Magic. We're keeping our fingers crossed that she gets it. 

Once Ron and I disconnected, I put my bariol case away. Just then, an owl flew in and dropped a letter on me. I picked it up and wondered who it was from. It wasn't from any of my friends or family; it was an unfamiliar name of a social service agency, a muggle one. I opened it. 

It said something to the effect of that there were two young girls who'd been abused who might be the daughters of a cousin of mine; would Janice and I be willing to take them in at least temporarily? They were now in foster homes, but needed a permanent placement soon. 

_Oh_, I mouthed. That cousin could be only one person. Dudley Dursley, since I know that Trevor and Hermione live here in the magical community and have a son, Evan and a daughter Geneveve. 

Dudley is actually Trevor's half-brother since Dudley's dad had an extra-marital affair and that affair produced Trevor. Trevor and Dudley have never met. 

Dudley…what can I remember about him? I think you should hear this out because it's hard for me to tell it. I last saw Dudley when he and I were twenty-one and his parents were killed in a car crash. 

After my parents died in Voldemort's hands, I was sent to live with Dudley and his parents, all of whom were muggles. They had a limited understanding of the magical world and magical people. Aunt Petunia has been Mum's older sister and had often bullied her when they were growing up. 

Dudley was very spoiled and often bullied me. Neither my aunt nor uncle made any effort to stop him. The summer I turned fifteen, Uncle Vernon and I had a blowout; he beat me and I ran away from there. That was the last I saw of my aunt and uncle since my dear great-aunt Miranda took me in. 

But when I was twenty-one and got the news of my aunt and uncle's deaths, I saw Dudley again, but he was still unkind to me. 

I also saw Aunt Marge, who was Vernon's younger sister. She'd confided in me that her brother had bullied her also. Aunt Marge and I forged a new bond that remains close to this day. That funeral was the last I'd seen of Dudley. Now here I was, being brought partially back to the past. I've hardly even thought of Dudley these past fifteen years or so. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

"Sure, let's see what we can do to bring them here," Janice told me later on as the three of us ate dinner. 

"So what do you think of getting two new sisters?" I asked Bea. 

"It'd be nice," Bea smiled at me, carrots mashed between her teeth. Janice tells me that she has my wide smile. I'm so lucky to have them both in my life. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

**Ellen**: 

"Eva?" I called. "Margo?" I ran through the house, searching for the girls. They'd better not be hiding! I thought. I let out a shriek when I saw my husband sprawled on the couch, downing a caseload of beer. 

"Dudley Dursley, what are you doing here?!" I yelled. 

"Waiting for you…" he drawled. "We need to talk." 

"About what?" I dropped my bag right there on the floor. "Where are those kids?!" 

"They took the kids away…" Dudley told me flatly. 

"What are you talking about?!" 

"The girls are not here anymore," Dudley said slowly as he stood up unsteadily. "Those social service people took them away this afternoon while you were out on whatever shopping expedition that couldn't wait." 

"Why?" I felt myself turn cold. Had some neighbor spied, then snitched on us, claiming that we "beat" the girls? Had those little brats told some neighbor that we hit them sometimes and about Dudley's drinking?! 

"You figure it out!" Dudley spat. "Somebody squealed on us! So we have to go to court and prove we're not lousy, abusive parents!" 

"Well, great, we'll need a lot of luck with that since we can't afford some expensive barrister!" I shot back. "It's just great, so the neighbors are talking about us…" I stalked out to the kitchen. A few minutes later, Dudley came in and put his hands over my shoulder. I stood stiffly at first, then he slowly pushed me into a chair. 

"We'll get them back," he told me. "Doesn't your dad work in a judge's office?" I nodded. "Then ring him and have him get us a barrister, explain that we're short on cash and will pay him if we win." 

I did as he told me. Dad wasn't too receptive at first, but offered to see what he could do. "How do you and Dudley get yourselves into these messes, anyway?" 

"I don't know," I snapped impatiently. But I was relieved that at least Dad hadn't just slammed down the phone on us. By the time I hung up, I convinced myself that yes, we'd get the girls back and our family would be back to the way it should be. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

**Harry**: 

I was just coming back from a trip to the Ministry where I'd delivered a string of melodies in a pensieve when a familiar car pulled up. Janice! I was startled to see her here in the middle of the day. She stopped by the curb and got out. She was distraught! 

"Janice…!" I faltered, feeling my own breath grow rapid and shallow; my body broke out in a sweat. 

"Oh, Harry…" she sobbed once I got into the car. "It's Beatrice…she's…had an accident…" 

"Oh, Merlin, no!" I swallowed in a sudden painful throat squeeze. "Please don't let it be…" 

"She's at the hospital right now," Janice drove on, wiping her eyes. "A neighbor's pond…fell in…" 

"Oh, Bea…" I felt my own eyes well with tears. 

The next few hours seemed so unreal that it's totally jumbled in my memory. My friends came over the next few days and offered support to Janice and me while Bea lay in a coma. But nothing would make us feel better except the knowledge that Bea would come out of it. Janice and I wept on and off, our hearts screaming in pain. 

The days melted into weeks. Before we know it, it was late April and Bea still lay comatose. Never, ever had either one of us felt so helpless. I know I never had, not when a classmate of mine Cedric Diggory had died in front of me back when I was fourteen, not when my godfather died, not even back when I was a kid and the Dursleys locked me in their cupboard under the stairs. 

The fact that she looked like she was sleeping terrified me even more. True, magical hospitals are a lot less imposing than muggle hospitals, but there was still a lot of machinery that made me just shake to hear and see it. 

"Bea…" I shakily whispered to her a month later. "Over and over, your mother and I wonder…" I swallowed. "…if there was anything we could have done to prevent you from falling into that pond…if you can hear us…oh, if your grandparents could have met you, they've…" sob. "…l-love you…" I added in a keen. 

This was too dreadful for words. This is a bad dream, I willed it. I closed my eyes a minute, then slowly re-opened them. Harry, this isn't a dream, I thought. A soft voice in the doorway told me that it wasn't a dream. 

"God…how could a sweet innocent…" Trevor quavered from the door, where his thick brows were slanted. "Oh, Harry, I'm so sorry!" He came over and we hugged, sobbing freely. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

I came in just as Janice was reading to Bea, a book that Ron's mum had written some twenty years ago. I put a hand on her shoulder and helplessly, watched our beautiful daughter. It was almost ten at night, so we stood up to go. Our friends and I had been rotating bedside attendance so someone was always with her. But as we stood, I heard a flat low hum and saw that the disk over her bed had gone a flat gray…oh…Merlin! A mounting terror fell over us as we took in the meaning of the hum and the gray disk. 

"_Beatrice_…!" I howled. 

"Oh, Merlin…!" Janice's anguished wail collided with my howls in a haunting crescendo. We barely registered the nurses and medics rushing in. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

No one needed to tell us; we knew. Our dear, dear Bea was gone. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

"Back into the air her soul may go…" the witch who was leading Bea's funeral intoned solemnly. My friends, wife and I watched as the witch turned our dear daughter's ashes into a gas and flowed them into the air. It was my five friends, Janice, Jill, and my great-aunt Miranda and my aunt Marge as well as Hermione's mum, sister and Ron's mum and two of his brothers, Bill and Charlie. None of this seemed real. I was clinging onto Ron and Janice, fearing that if I let go, I'd collapse in a heap right there on the ground. Ron himself wept on and off. So did the others and I. 

The others had been swell all week, checking in on Janice and me. Both of my aunts brought over enough food to last us a month. But tonight, Janice and I were heading home alone. 

"Harry…" Ron followed me to the edge of the field where the ceremony had taken place. "W-will you and Janice be…?" 

"I really don't know…" I rasped, wiping my already swollen eyes. I had to keep pushing my glasses up my wet nose. 

"I didn't hear…I'm sorry…?" Ron leaned close. 

"I…I'm not sure…" I told him. Janice and I apparated to our front yard, then slowly, painfully let ourselves into an empty house. We stood in sad silence a long minute. 

"Tell m-me…" I whispered shakily. "That this is a bad dream." Janice shook her head, her mouth trembling as fresh tears welled in her eyes. 

"Oh, Janice!" I whimpered as I clung to her and started to weep…again. I don't think I've ever shed so many tears at once. My brows and mouth hurt and I felt sore all over, but that was nothing compared to the pain Janice and I were feeling inside. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Bit by bit, all of us returned to work within the next week. It was still a nightmare, especially coming home and knowing that our daughter wouldn't be there. But a month later, my mobile rang and it was the social worker who'd owled us earlier. I motioned Janice to the mobile and we put it on speaker. 

"So, the girls, Eva and Margo, are ready to take in," their social worker, Wendy told us. "Are you ready for them?" 

"Yes…" we both told her. She then told us she'd have to do a home study on us, then an observed visit with the girls to which we agreed. Once we'd disconnected, we looked at each other. We knew they'd never replace our beloved Bea, but they'd be her younger sisters, since Eva was eight and Margo was seven. I sensed these girls needed love and hoped Janice and I could give it to them.   
  
  
  


More later; you'll get to meet Eva and Margo; Harry and Janice will heal and have another chance at parenthood again! 


	3. New Additions

Hiii, sorry it's been a long time since I've updated this story. I just moved and all. Here's more! The usual disclaimers that characters HP fans recognize from the books and movies are not mine; they belong to JK Rowling; thanks, dear JK for bringing the wonderful Harry to us, not to mention his great friends! Enjoy, all Harry fans!   
  
  


**All Incredible Odds**

_By_: CNJ 

_PG-13_

**3: New Additions**

**Harry:**

"Hello...welcome..." I told the girls softly as they shyly looked around, then clung to each other. Janice and I smiled at them, hoping that would take away the edge of their apparent nervousness. Both were rather small for their ages. Eva had black hair much to my surprise and she was slightly chubby like her biological dad. I couldn't say that either one of them resembled Dudley, except for Margo's light brown hair, which was almost as light as Dudley's. I'd never met their natural mum, Ellen, so I couldn't say if they'd inherited any features from her. 

Not surprisingly, they appeared wary, looking around with large blue eyes. Haunted eyes. I fought down a catch in my throat at their guarded demeanors. Janice and I took care not to overwhelm them with either over-enthusiastic welcome fanfare or any guest just yet. They needed time to get used to their new surroundings, the new people in their lives. 

For most of the afternoon, Janice and I helped them unpack their bags and showed them their rooms. The girls took it in, quietly regarding us solemnly, then looking around the rooms. Later on Janice and I ordered out Indian food. 

Margo ate cautiously and slowly while Eva ate rapidly. "This is better than what other mum and dad gave us," Eva told us. 

"I'm glad to hear that," Janice poured more pumpkin juice. 

"Are you magic people?" Eva asked. 

"You could say that," I nodded. 

"Dad never likes magic people," Eva went on. "But I saw a few in a store and they aren't bad, so I don't know why Dad never liked them." Margo was looking at her sister with wide fearful eyes. 

"Oh, she didn't mean that," Margo said softly, so softly we had to strain to hear her. "Please don't lock us in the cupboard...dad used to lock us in the cupboard for talking about magic." That made me swallow. 

Janice looked over at me, then told the girls, "No one is going to put you in a cupboard here. You're safe here. And yes, you can talk about magic here." 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

"So, how are my nieces?" Trevor asked later on that night over the mobile. 

"Better than they were in their old home, I can tell you," I told him, leaning back in my chair and going over barrister briefs. Janice and I were on three months parental leave from our jobs, but we still did some work at home. 

"It's kind of odd..." Trevor went on. "I never thought of Dudley as even a half-brother and it isn't just because we never met...but I'm starting to think of Eva and Margo as my nieces." 

"Yeah..." I cleared my throat, wondering if I should tell Trevor about the cupboard. 

"So...any hints about what their previous home was like for them?" Trevor asked softly. 

"I gather that it wasn't very good," I told my cousin. "One of them was afraid we had a cupboard to lock them in." 

"Gads..." Trevor gasped. "Isn't that what your uncle used to do to you?" 

"Yes." I never could lie to Trevor. 

"That's what Dudley must have learned from his dad," Trever went on. "I get the feeling it could bring back memories for you...hey, if you ever get overwhelmed, come find me." 

"Thanks..." I said softly. Trevor's funny, clownish, dramatic, and loud, but he has one of the kindest hearts I've ever known. Trevor and I talked about other things, including Trevor's latest script and trends in films. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

**_Back in Surrey_...**

**Dudley**: 

Ellen's parents peered at us. "So you've been unemployed for three months?" Ellen's mum asked me. 

"Almost," I told her, already bored with her parents' grilling. All we asked them is to move in with them until we got back on our feet. They let us back in two nights ago, but now they were putting us through a huge inquisition. 

"And so social services haven't told you when you'd get your kids back?" Ellen's dad poured more coffee for all of us. 

"No," Ellen shook her head. 

"Have you pursued the matter further?" Ellen's mum sipped her coffee. 

"No..." Ellen told her. 

"Why?" 

"I doubt we can afford this with my husband being out of work," Ellen snapped. "It isn't our fault some social worked decided we were lousy parents and took our kids away! I come back from shopping one afternoon, the kids are gone and there're two social workers telling me that they'd pinned us on some kind of abuse charges and the kids were in foster care." 

"Oh, bloody hell..." Ellen's dad blew out his breath. "Just what you two need...child abuse accusations." 

"It isn't our fault," I told them, my already short patience snapping. "We tried to discipline the girls; they aren't easy kids." 

"All right, all right, let me call around..." Ellen's dad muttered. 

"Isn't the barrister supposed to take care of that?" I demanded. 

"To hear you plead not guilty of abuse, yes," Ellen's dad snapped. "But not to get the kids back so easily. You'll need a separate hearing for that." With that, he got up and headed to his study, leaving Ellen and me fuming. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

**_Back in the magical world..._**

**Harry**: 

The screams awakened both Janice and me and we ran down the hall to the girls' rooms. Margo. She was thrashing about and screaming. Janice turned on the lamp and I held her gently in my arms. She thrashed about a bit more, then came awake. The wild, dazed look in her eyes faded and she focused on us. 

"It's all right, love..." I whispered. "You're here...you're here...no one can hurt you here..." I rocked her gently while Janice stroked here. Margo began to cry into my shoulder. We sat like that for several minutes...I really don't know how many minutes. I was aware of Eva slowly coming in, her small face apprehensive. 

"Your sister will be all right; she had a nightmare..." I could hear Janice tell her. We sat like that a while longer. I don't know whether it was five minutes or a half hour, but the next thing I knew, I'd drifted off and the sun was shining in the window and Margo was in my arms asleep. I slowly got up from the floor and put her back to bed. Looking at the clock, it was still early, around seven, so I headed back to bed after checking on Eva in the adjacent room. Janice stirred, then drifted back off.   


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Bit by bit, we settled into a routine. It was rather chaotic at first, especially since neither Janice or I are very structured people. Several times, social workers dropped in on us to see how we were faring. At one social workers' recommendation and after Janice and I scouted about the schools of Hogston, we found a good one for both magic and muggle students. It was halfway between our home and the village of Hogsmeade. 

...so you girls will be going to the same school as Evan and Geneveve," I told Margo and Eva once we'd started back from looking through the school and getting the girls acclimated to their new environment. 

They were beginning to trust us. I could tell by the way Margo held my hand and Eva held Janice's. Eva is rather reserved, but verbal while Margo is quieter, but less structured. I wondered if she might be artistic or have musical talent. It was too early to tell, however. 

I was becoming attached to the girls myself and tried not to think of the upcoming hearing in early November. Janice and I would have to go the court and Dudley and his wife would be there. It was late August, so I pushed the thought out of my mind and got ready for the picnic Janice and I were hosting this afternoon. The kids would meet my friends and their kids. 

The picnic went fairly well. Eva and Geneveve especially hit it off since they were the same age. 

"So, Eva and Margo are going to Hogston Primary?" Ron asked me as he almost inhaled his chips. 

"Yes." I nodded. "So your kids start on the first?" 

"Yeah..." Ron brushed back his thick red hair. "Anne starts kindergarten this year. Andrew's always telling her, _soon you'll be five_. She of course thinks it's this week, when it's still over two months away." I nodded, grinning. Kids have a rather imperfect sense of time. "Are you thinking of adopting?" 

"Yes...the hearing's in early November," I pushed my glasses up my nose and tried not to shudder. 

"If they saw the proof of abuse, they'd clear them for adoption easily," Ron told me. 

"It's Dudley, you know," I blurted out. 

"Dudley...?" Ron nearly choked on his butterbeer. Once he stopped coughing, he asked, "You mean, that cousin who pounded you all the time as a kid that you had to live with for over ten years?" 

"That's the one." 

"I wonder what business he had having kids in the first place..." Ron muttered. 

"Probably didn't know what end is up," I added. "Janice and I are so glad to have them now. Oh, Ron, we love them." I could feel my brows tighten in worry. 

"You'll be sure to get them," Ron reassured me as we watched Ginny, Hermione, Neville, and Janice stand around the table eating and talking. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

School started. The next two months flew by and then the hearing was here. It was held in a muggle court. Seeing Dudley after all these years brought out a bizarre mix of feelings. Sadness over a lost possible relationship...pity for Dudley, since I knew he is not a happy person...pain over memories of his cruelty, both to me and to others. We did not speak to each other that day. We sat silently across the courtroom as our respective barristers spoke. Once in a while, Janice would hold my hand in reassurance. 

It was good that our friends were in the back, especially since Dudley's barrister described me as _abnormal_ and _disturbed_..._words_ that my late aunt Petunia and uncle Vernon used on me. The barrister then went on and on about _parental rights_. At one point, when barrister appeared to be done, Dudley stood and bellowed, "You also forgot to add in that my wife can be a full-time mother in a way that...those can't!" The court broke into an amalgam of mutters and restless shifting. 

"Order..." Judge Brennan called. I could see Dudley's barrister shaking his head at Dudley. Once my barrister stood to testify, she called several social workers as well as a couple of our friends. Another witness was Aunt Marge. She described how she'd seen Dudley bully others all his life, including me. It brought tears to my eyes several times and I tried not to blink. Blinking when I'm close to tears, I've discovered, just makes the tears spill over. I concentrated on staring ahead at the judge and plaque behind her until my side of the testimony was over. 

"Thank you," Janice and I told our barrister as we left the courtroom. 

"You're quite welcome," our barrister smiled at us. "Just one more interview and the decision will be made by late November...I think we'll make it." We hoped.   
  
  
  


More coming! Will Eva and Margo stay with Harry and Janice and officially become their daughters? What new challenges will all of them face, especially when tragedy strikes one of Harry's dearest friends? More soon! 


End file.
